Closure means for a protective garment



y 1965 J. DE GRAZIA 3,196,459

CLOSURE MEANS FOR A PROTECTIVE GARMENT Filed May 1, 1962 iNv-EN R Q ep/zDe Grayla ATTORNEY United States Patent CLOSURE MEANS FOR A PROTECTIVEGARMENT Joseph De Grazia, Washington, D.C., assignor to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed May1, 1962, Ser. No. 191,653 6 Claims. (Cl. 2--96) (Granted under Title 35,US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented,may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to a closure means for protective garments of thetype which are adapted to be quickly put on in the event of danger fromfallout.

Many such garments include means whereby the wearers hands may overlapthe entrance opening from inside the garment so as to close the entrancethereto. However, these garments have the disadvantage that the entranceopenings cannot be fastened in the closed position whereby they pop openwhen the user releases his hands to break his fall to ground as he takescover and must thereafter again manually overlap the closure andcontinue to hold the opening closed throughout the duration of thealert.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to providean improved garment of the class described.

A further object is to provide an improved garment of this type whichincludes improved fastening means which can be readily manually fastenedsimultaneously with the overlapping of the flaps of the garment openingso as to release the hands for other use.

A further object is to provide in a garment as last described animproved arrangement of fastening means which permits the closure flapsto be secured in the closed position irrespective of whether or not thesame are precisely aligned with each other.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of thegarment, the structure of the several elements of the same, thepositions and arrangements of such elements, as well as in thecombinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other andwith the garment and/ or the users hand or fingers, all of which will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to theattached drawing and to the following specification wherein theinvention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a garment embodyingone species of the invention, the ment opening being shown in the closedposition;

FIGURE 2 is a view like FIGURE 1 but showing the garment opening in theopen position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 but showing howthe closure is manipulated;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are fragmentary front elevational views showing twoextreme misaligned positions of the parts of the closure when closed;and

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 2 but on a reduced scale and showing amodification of the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts in all views, 10 designates generally a falloutgarment of any suitable type and which is formed of any suitableprotective material. In the embodiment illustrated, the garmentcomprises a coverall which includes a body portion 11, sleeves 12, legs13 and a front opening for getting into the garment which is defined bythe inner and outer flaps 14 and 15 respectively. The outer closure flapmay be formed with an under flap 16 which is adapted to underlap theinner flap 14 as best seen in FIGURE 3 to enhance the seal formed by theoverlapped flaps 14 and 15. It is understood that the garment may alsoinclude a suitable hood, fragmentarily shown at 17 in FIGURES l and 2.

To secure the closure flaps 14 and 15 in the overlapped or closedposition, the abutting surfaces of the overlapped flaps have beenprovided with crossing strips of cohesive material. Such material may beany suitable cohesive material but a convenient material of this type isthat which operates on the cocklebur principal and which is disclosed inUS. Patent No. 3,009,235 to De Mestral. It may, of course, comprise anyother suitable cohesive material.

It is contemplated that each abutting surface of the flaps 14 and 15will mount at least one strip of such material and that such strips areso disposed as to cross each other and cohere when the flaps areoverlapped and pressed together.

In the species of FIGURES 1-5 inclusive, the inner flap 14 has mountedon the outer surface thereof by any suitable means such as sewing oradhesive, not shown, a plurality of strips 18 of cohesive material whichare substantially horizontal. Strips 18 are arranged in verticallyspaced and aligned relation. The inner surface of the outer flap 15 hassimilarly mounted thereon a plurality of strips 19 of cohesive materialwhich are arranged substantially vertically in spaced and alignedrelation to each other. The strips 18 and 19 are arranged in pairswherein one strip 18 is disposed to cross a corresponding strip 19 whenthe flaps 14. and 15 are overlapped and pressed together. By providingthe strips 18 and 19 in crossing relation to each other, it is notnecessary that the flaps 14 and 15 be precisely aligned eithervertically or horizontally. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 a substantiallywide range of misalignment is possible in both directions while stillpermitting full crossing cohesion of the cohering strips.

To manipulate the flaps 14 and 15 into overlapping relation, anysuitable finger grips may be used. In the species of FIGURES 1-5, eachflap includes one or more inside pockets in overlying or underlyingrelation to the associated strips 18 and 19. Such pockets have mouthswhich open laterally outwardly of the wearer in opposite directions sothat at least one finger and preferably all fingers of each hand may bereadily inserted into the corresponding pockets to close and secure theflaps. In the species of FIGURES l-5, see FIGURE 3, the flap 14 isformed with a plurality of pockets 2t) inside of each strip 18. Eachsuch pocket 20 has an open mouth 21 which opens laterally outwardlytoward the wearers right so as to conveniently receive his right hand orat least one or more fingers thereof. Each pocket 20 is formed by apatch 22 of any suitable material which is secured along three sides byany suitable means, not shown, to the undersurface of the inner flap 14.

The outer flap 15 likewise has secured to its undersurface a patch ofmaterial 23 which is secured in any suitable manner to the undersurfaceof such flap. The patches 23 are secured around three sides to flap 15to provide pockets 24 having open mouths 25 which open to the wearersleft to conveniently receive one or more fingers of his left hand or theentire hand. The cohesive strips 19 are secured to the undersurfaces ofthe patches 23.

In operation, the wearer steps into the garment 10 through the frontopening, quickly inserts his hands or finger tips into two opposingpockets 20 and 24, crosses such hands and presses the finger tips of theleft hand against the backs of the fingers of the right hand. Thisautomatically secures the cohesive material together. He then repeatsthe process with the other'pockets 20, 24 until the entire length offlaps 14 and 15 are secured together. I-le may now insert his hands andarms into the sleeves 1 2. As seen in F IG abutting patches 18 and 19 ofI 4 said strips of one flap being adapted to cross said strips of saidother flap when said one flap is overlapped on said .URES 4 and 5, theuser need not align the pairs of pockets 20, 24 exactly as the crossingarrangement of the,

strips 18 and 19 allow a great deal of latitude without detracting intheleast from the security ofthe connection at each point. Later, ifdesired, the flaps 14 and 15 may be properly aligned. To release theconnection, the 'con I necting operation may be reversed with the righthand peeling the strips 19from the strips 18. More likely, however, thehands would simply seize the outer flap from the outside and peel theflaps Hand apart in a normal manner for separating such aconnection.

In the modification of FIGURE 6, the garment 39 may be the same asv thegarment 10 and includes an entrance opening defined by the inner closureflap 29 and the outer closure flap 35. The free edge of the outer flap35 may be extended and turned into underlying relation and then securedalong the top and bottom edges to provide an elongated pocket 34 havinga. free edge 32 defining an open mouth which faces'the wearers left whenin1use.

The under surface of pocket 34 has secured thereto by any suitablemeans, not'shown, a strip 38 of cohesive material which extendssubstantiallyvertically along substantially the entire length of theflap 35 in the region of the free edge 31 thereof. In like manner, thefiap'29 includes an inwardly turned extension whichis secured to theflap only at the topfan'd bottom to provide an elongated pocket 33extending along the entire length of the flap and which has an openmouth which is directly laterally toward the wearers right in use.surface of the flap 29 has secured thereto in any usual manner aplurality of substantially horizontal cohesive strips 39 which arearranged ina vertically spaced row in crossing relation to the strip 38.

The operation of this species of erally the same as in the firstdescribed species except.

that it is quicker. ,This 'is'because the user need not grope for anyparticular pocket and by sliding his hands upwardly and downwardly whilepressing them together can very quickly connect all of thecrossingstrips 39 to thestrip38.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the inventionmay be donned andthefront opening closed and secured with the greatest possible speed andwith a minimum exposure of the wearers hands. Indeed no exposures occurat all once he hasgotten insideone of the garments '10 or It is clearalso, that the garments may be readily and economicallymanufactured'from' readily available material or that existing coverallgarments may be readily-modified bythe addition of suitable cohesivestrips together with means for connecting them together from the insideof the garment.

Moreover, while there has been shown and described what are now thoughtto be, the preferred embodimentsof The outer jfacing laterally outwardlyof the wearer in opposite dif rections, each pocket being adapted toreceive at least one finger of a wearers hand, at least one strip ofcohesive material secured to the outside of one of said flaps adjacentsaid "pocket, at least one strip of cohesive material secured to theinside of the other of said flaps adjacent said pocket,said strip ofcohesive'rnaterial of; one

fiap being disposed in crossing relation to the strip of the other'flapwhen said flaps are overlapped,.and said flaps being manually overlappedto press said strips of cohesive material into. cohering relation frominside said garment. fl l 1 .3. Ina protective garment including anopening, flaps defining saidopening, said flaps including opposed bodiesof cohesive maten'al adapted to abut and cohere when said flapsareoverlapped and pressed together; the improvement comprising an elongatedpocket secured to each flap inwardly thereof and extending alongsubstantially the entire lengths of such flaps, said pockets having openmouths opening laterally outwardly of the wearer in opposite directions,a strip of cohesive material secured to the inside or one of. said flapsadjacent: said pocket and extending substantially vertically substan- Vitally the entire. length thereof and a plurality of substantheinventionis gen-' tially horizontally disposed, strips of cohesive materialsecured to the outside of the other of said flaps adjacent said pocketin verticallyspaced and alignedrelation and in crossing, relation, tosaid first'narned'strip when said flap s are, overlapped, andueach ofsaid pockets being adapted to receive the wearers hands therein wherebyto permit manual overlapping of said flaps and manual pressing of saidstrips into cohering relationfrominside thefgarment. ,7 a

4'. In a protective garment including an opening,'flaps defining saidopening, said flapsbeing adapted to be overthe invention, it should beunderstood that the same is t susceptible of still other .forms andexpressions. Therefore, the invention is not considered to be limited bythe precise structures and species shown and described here- I inabovebut only as hereinafter claimed. a

I claim: 5

1. In a protective garment including an opening, flaps defining saidopening, said flaps including opposed bodies of cohesive materialadapted to abut and cohere when said flaps are overlappedand pressedtogether; theirn provement comprising a plurality of vertically spacedand aligned pockets secured to each flap inwardly thereof, said bodiesof cohesive materialcomprising a'first row of vertically disposedandspaced strips secured to said pockets of one flap inwardly thereof and asecond row of vertically spaced and horizontally arranged strips secured to the pocketsof said other flap outwardly thereof,

lapped; the improvement comprising pocket means secured inwardly of saidflaps and having abutting surfaces, at least onestrip of cohesivematerial on each of said abutting surfacesin crossing relation to eachother, and said pocket meanspermitting manualoverlapping of said flapsand pressing crossing portions of said strips into cohesive'relationwhereby to close and fasten said opening from inside saidgarment. I

. 5. In a protective garment including an opening, flaps defining saidopening, said flaps being adapted to be overlapped; the improvementcomprising pocket means secured inwardly of said flaps-and havingabutting surfaces, a strip of cohesive material secured to one of saidabutting surfaces and. extending' substantially vertically thereof, a

pluralityof relatively shorter substantially horizontally disposedstrips of cohesive material secured to the other of, said abuttingsurfaces in crossing relation to said' first strip and in verticallyspaced and aligned relation to each 1 other, and said pocketmeanspermitting manual overf lapping of said'flaps and pressing crossingportions of said strips into cohesive relation whereby to closeandfasten said opening from inside said garment.

' 6. In a protective garment including an opening, flaps defining saidopening, said flaps being adapted to be overlapped; the improvementcomprising pocket means secured inwardly of said flaps and havingabutting surfaces,

a plurality of substantiallyyertically disposed strips of cohesivematerial on one of said surfaces in vertically spaced and alignedrelation, a like member of substantially horizontally disposed strips ofcohseive material on the other of said surfaces in vertically spaced andaligned relation, said strips of both surfaces being disposed incrossing relation, and said pocket means permitting manual overlappingof said flaps and pressing crossing portions of said strips intocohesive relation whereby to close and fasten said opening from insidesaid garment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 310,309 1/85 Pick2-88X Barberis 2-84 Boggs 2-96 Chappell 2--2 Davidson et al 2-1 Sullivan2-1 De Mestral 2-96 X De Grazia.

Tornich 284 Cree 233-98 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner.

1. IN A PROTECTIVE GARMENT INCLUDING AN OPENING, FLAPS DEFINING SAIDOPENING, SAID FLAPS INCLUDING OPPOSED BODIES OF COHESIVE MATERIALADAPTED TO ABUT AND COHERE WHEN SAID FLAPS ARE OVERLAPPED AND PRESSEDTOGETHER; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACEDAND ALIGNED POCKETS SECURED TO EACH FLAP INWARDLY THEREOF, SAID BODIESOF COHESIVE MATERIAL COMPRISING A FIRST ROW OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED ANDSPACED STRIPS SECURED TO SAID POCKETS OF ONE FLAP INWARDLY THEREOF AND ASECOND ROW OF VERTICALLY SPACED AND HORIZONTALLY ARRANGED STRIPS SECUREDTO THE POCKETS OF SAID OTHER FLAP OUTWARDLY THEREOF, SAID STRIPS OF ONEFLAP BEING ADAPTED TO CROSS SAID STRIPS OF SAID OTHER FLAP WHEN SAID ONEFLAP IS OVERLAPPED ON SAID OTHER FLAP, AND EACH POCKET BEING ADAPTED TORECEIVE AT LEAST ONE FINGER OF A WEARER''S HAND THEREIN, WHEREBY TOPROVIDE MEANS FOR MANUALLY OVERLAPPING SAID FLAPS AND PRESSING SAIDCROSSED STRIPS INTO COHERING RELATION FROM INSIDE SAID GARMENT TO CLOSEAND SECURE SAID FLAPS.